


(Those Who Walk) Among The Shadows

by Angie_Is_Alive



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Kissing, Minor Character Death, Moonshadow Elves (The Dragon Prince), Other, Runaan goes on a mission alone, Young Runaan (The Dragon Prince), and meets my oc, but nothing too explicit, i dont actually ship them, oc uses they/them but also he/him, this is a one time thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:52:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27246838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angie_Is_Alive/pseuds/Angie_Is_Alive
Summary: At the age of seventeen (and a half), Runaan is the younger assassin to ever be sent on a mission alone. In order to prove himself to his higher-ups, he is determined to avoid and overcome all distractions and complications to the very important mission. Until they arrive in the form of a golden-eyed assassin from another kingdom.–Runaan furrowed his brows in confusion. "Humans can't be assassins. You people are incompetent."
Relationships: Runaan (The Dragon Prince) & Original Character(s), Runaan (The Dragon Prince)/Original Character(s), Runaan/Ethari (mentioned)
Kudos: 7





	(Those Who Walk) Among The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> I have anxiety posting this so please be nice in the comments :)

It was a cold and quiet night. 

Runaan crouched, back against the stone wall, eyes as sharp as his blades. He watched as the habitats of the castle went about their business –probably preparing for bed–, only slightly worried about being spotted. The shadows, one of his only allies in this foreign land, concealed him well. He just needed to wait a little longer. Until the moon, his second ally took over the sky once more. Then he would strike, clean and precise as his dark duty required and then he would go home. 

It was a simple mission –as simple as those things could be. A council from Del Bar was suspected of having an invasion plan, a very effective one. He was to be dispatched. 

Runaan waited a bit longer in the cloudless night. Listening closely as the murmurs and the padding of feet gave their place to the sounds of crickets and night owls. And just as the boredom and the restlessness were about to shallow the young assassin whole, the full moon graced the sky with its glorious light.

_ Finally,  _ thought Runaan, even though this was far from the first time he had to wait and he believed himself to be the patient type. But just as he was about to slip into his shadow form and sneak into the target’s private rooms, he saw movement in the darkness. 

For a moment he froze. Then shook himself out of it and with the stealth, only a Moonshadow could master he approached the possible threat. It had the form of a man --probably a guard-- easy enough to take care off. He set his jaw and went for what should have been a quick slit of the throat.

The figure moved. Faster than any human Runaan had ever encountered. They dodged his first attack, then his second. Soon enough they were caught up in a dance of blows and punches while jumping from spot to spot. No blade was yet drowned. Runaan, with all of his assassin training, managed to land the most blows while avoiding almost every strike. The figure was nearly out of breath, but they were relentless. Runaan was panting slightly too by the time he managed to pin his opponent against the stone wall. He was instantly met with a set of gold-brown eyes that seemed to shimmer in the darkness almost as much as an elf's would. 

But taking in the lack of pointing ears and horns, his assailant was clearly human. Taken aback by the fact that a mere human could match him in stealth and speed he had only half a mind to draw his blade out and place it on the person's throat. "Who are you?" He demanded. 

"Who are  _ you? _ " The other choked out, hands tight around his wrist, trying –and failing– to get the knife away from their throat. 

"That is none of your concern," he replied coldly.  _ You won't have any concerns as soon as I'm done.  _ He went for a quick kill again, before the other could scream and attract unwanted attention. 

But the other spoke in a hushed tone when he said matter of factly, "you're an elf." There was no fear in his voice, only amusement. 

"Obviously," he said dumbly, once again taken aback by his strange –soon to be dead– opponent. The person tilted their head back casually and looked at Runaan as one would look and an old friend or a colleague. 

"I suppose you're here for the same reason that I am, then, " they said with a curious glint in their golden eyes. 

"And that is?" Asked the young assassin, now intrigued. 

"To kill Council Kudu," said the other like murder was the only possible reason. "That dude is into some dubious business."

Runaan just looked blankly at him. Something similar to fear flickered in the other's eyes but it quickly disappeared. "You're an assassin, right?" They asked. "Like me."

Runaan furrowed his brows in confusion. "Humans can't be assassins," he said. "You people are incompetent."

The – other assassin,  _ apparently– _ tilted their head to the left, almost slitting their own throat. "Is that what they teach you in Xadia? To underestimate your enemy?"

Runaan wanted to point out that he hadn't underestimated them at all. He had fought them just as he would have fought anyone outside of training. Ruthlessly. He realized that he was wasting his time and wondered why he hadn't killed them yet. 

"Let me make you a deal, then," the stranger said as if the previous conversation hadn't happened. "We're clearly are here for the same purpose. So why don't we just team up and be done with it? We have already wasted enough time playing tag in the darkness."

Runaan almost choked on air. "You want  _ us _ to do  _ what?"  _ He half sputtered half hissed. 

"Team up," said the other again. As if the potential team-up of a human and an elf wasn’t preposterous if not outright stupid.  _ They didn't really believe they could work together?!  _

"Oh, come on!" The other exclaimed and immediately lowered their voice. "You don't want to kill me –because if you did you'd already done it by now– and I don't want to die and we have the same goal–"

"How do you know we are here for the same reasons? Maybe I'm here to kill  _ you, _ " Runaan said.  _ Just kill him,  _ whispered the voice in his head that was actually sane. 

"You didn't even know who I was a few minutes ago," said the other matter of factly. "And as I said, you're holding a knife to my throat, remember? If you wanted me dead I'd be dead already." 

Runaan looked,  _ really  _ looked _ ,  _ at the person in front of him. Aside from their unusually bright eyes and the fact that they were dressed in all black, they seemed like an ordinary human. Short, brown hair, slightly flushed cheeks, a few freckles here and there.  _ Quite attractive _ , Runaan noted and then immediately shoved the thought out of his head. They must have been his age –maybe even younger. There was nothing special about them other than the fact they claimed to be a human assassin.  _ Then why couldn't he kill him?  _ It wasn't like he hadn't done it before. 

"Alright," he said, at last, wondering if the change in climate had messed with his brain. "But if you even think about double-crossing me," he pressed the knife enough to draw a little blood, "I'll end you then and there. Don't believe I will not."

The human nodded, his expression hardening. Runnan slowly removed the blade from his throat and gestured for him to lead the way. He wasn’t about to let the enemy have a clear view of his back. The other didn't seem to have such concerns. He happily –and quietly– started his stride along the castle walls.  _ Incompetent,  _ thought Runaan and, silent as the night and swiftly as a shadow, followed his new partner towards their unsuspecting target. 

–

Runaan was crouching, once again, on the windowsill on the far side of the castle, where he knew the Councilman resided. Though this time he was not alone. 

The human assassin had found it hard to climb up fifteen or so meters but didn't argue when Runaan suggested it. Runaan had half hope that the other would tire out and let the actual work on him (maybe even fall to his death) but the human was determined and tried to keep up with Runaan as much as he could. 

Now they were both waiting for their target to show up. It would be an easy kill in the dimly lit room in an otherwise uneventful night. But when the Councilman finally made his appearance, he wasn't alone. 

The other gave him a questioning look, apparently no longer content to lead the mission. Runaan brought his index finger to his lips –in what he knew to be a human gesture for quiet– and focused his attention on the people who had entered the Council's chambers. One of them was a tall, dark-skinned one. She looked serious and experienced and Runaan had the feeling that he wouldn't want to cross paths with her if he didn't have too. The other was a short, rough-looking man. This one would be easier to take care of. 

The Councilman himself had positioned himself in the middle of the room like he was ready to give a speech. He started like they always did. About the danger the people on the other side of the border posed to humanity. About how unfair it was that they couldn't have what clearly wasn't there's. About how Dark Magic was the only solution and how they needed more resources for it. 

And then he started talking about how they were going to infiltrate Xadia through a secret passage –because there must be a way that  _ they  _ get in– and steal and demolish everything in their path. 

Runaan tensed all over and without a second thought, he notched an arrow and pointed directly at the man's chest. The other unsheathed two sharp, glittering blades and looked to Runaan for instructions. The young elf assassin was not really used to being in a position of leadership. He nodded once and pointed his chin towards the nearest target, hoping the other would understand. He nodded in response and m and looked to Runaan for directions. The young elf assassins weren’t exactly used to being in positions of leadership but he hoped to be someday. He nodded once and pointed his chin towards the closer target, hoping the other assassin would understand. The other nodded and readied his blades. But before he had a chance to move forward, a hissing sound cut through the air.

The other barely had time to move out of the knife’s way. On instinct, Runaan was on his feet and in the room. Another hissing sound and the councilman was lying dead on the floor, along with his plans of blood and destruction. Immediately, his partner jumped at the woman near him. The one that had thrown the knife, Runaan realized. He went for the second one, who was already running for the door. He aimed at his back but someone pushed him and he only got him at the shoulder. He looked beside him to see the woman, a wild look on her face, and the other behind her, wiping blood off their face. They looked like an avenging spirit -- like the ones he had read stories about-- surrounded by light and ready to strike. Runaan snapped out of his daze at seeing the other in full light and together they came at their common attacker. Runaan didn’t have time to exchange his bow for his twin blades so he hit her on the head with it. She managed to leap on the side but it still distracted her enough for the other to stab her with his one remaining blade. She fell on the floor, clasping her hand over her wound. Runaan was about to go for the final blow when the other stopped him. 

They bent down and took her chin with their hand, a dark look in their eyes. It was a familiar look. A look Runaan had seen in assassins way older than he or the other was. It was the look of someone who had fought enough against a kind to have developed a personal grudge. They hissed something at her, in a language Runaan could not understand. The woman growled back at them what sounded like an insult and in the blink of an eye she was dead on the floor. 

Runaan looked at the third still alive occupant. He was passed out on the floor. Runaan moved quicker than a shadow and went to the body before his partner could. He released an arrow, directly at the human’s heart. A merciful kill. 

The other didn’t protest this time. The grave look on their face was already gone. “Well, I suppose this is a job nicely done,” they said and Runaan wanted to point out that two more people than intended were killed and that they had left a mess out of the place. But he kept his mouth firmly shut and went for the window.

The other followed and they climbed down in silence. Runaan didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. He had completed his mission --if only with a few complications-- and had stopped an invasion from happening. But he was still new to this. Training couldn’t prepare you for what you had to do. Everything seemed easy in theory. No one told you that the ones you took would stay with you forever. Their blood was on your hands.

_ You saved people _ , said the voice in his head that sounded too much like his commander.  _ By killing three _ , he thought.

_ You prevented a slaughte _ r, the voice said again.  _ By carrying out one. _

_ You did your sworn duty, it had to be done. _ And this one Runaan truly believed.

“So, you’re not gonna ask me what that was about?’’ The other’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. 

“What was what about?” he asked incredulously even though he knew exactly what the other meant.

The human assassin gave him a knowing look. “Nothing,” they said at last. 

They had reached the edge of the forest now. All Runaan had to do was run for a few days and soon he’ll be home to safety. Hopefully, before the humans looked to Xadia for the assassination of three of their kind. He wasn’t the only one coming for the councilman, after all. Surely there would be other suspects. He looked to the other and wondered if they were going to test their luck and attack him. Runaan had already killed three humans that night. What difference would one more make? Even though this one was very attractive. 

“You haven’t told me your name yet,” the other said, their face slightly flushed. 

“ _ You _ haven’t told me  _ your _ name yet,” Runaan replied.

“My name is Azriel,” the other said with a light smile, “Are you gonna tell me yours or should I remember you as ‘the handsome stranger’?” Runaan was sure he looked darker than a moonberry at that moment. 

“Runaan,” he said lamely. How can you even make your own name sound lame?

“Runaan,” repeated Azriel and the name sounded sweet on their lips. “Come closer and I’ll give you something to remember me by,” they urged and Runaan did.

Azriel’s lips were soft and rough at the same time. They tasted of cherries and blood. It shouldn’t have been a good combination but Runaan didn’t care at that moment. He was suddenly pushed against a tree and he let out a moan without meaning to. Azriel panted softly, smiled and kissed him again, more firmly this time and he actually grabbed them by the waist and held them against him.

By the time the alarm bells in his mind began to ring -- _ what are you doing, idiot. you’re kissing a human! _ \-- Azriel had already pulled away, flushed and gasping. 

“I suppose this is where we part ways, handsome stranger,’’ they said and began to walk in the opposite direction. Backwards, golden eyes never leaving his turquoise ones.

_ I should kill him _ , Runaan thought.  _ Why haven’t I killed him?  _

Later, when he would lie on the branch of a tree and look at the night sky, he would imagine the feel of the other’s lips against his. It was a recurring memory. One that never left his mind until he met  _ his true love, Ethari. _ But even after years of passing the border and continuing his dark calling --those times with a team of his own kind-- and even after he truly realized the wrongness of his actions back then and wished he could take it back over and over again. They never left his mind completely. Sometimes he even thought about meeting them again. They had promised to give him something to remember them by and they had. The softness of his lips may have long faded from memory but the name never did.  _ Azriel _ .

  
_ Maybe humans were not all bad _ . 


End file.
